Knitting machine



Nov. 1, 193s. F, J. KERN` 2,135,083

Y KNITTING 'MACHINE Filed Deo. 4, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 zz 2l g a /5 I Ir ,117' .Z Z5 2 2l 27 25 25 33 Z4 Z/ la 2'/ /3 MK WVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

F. J. KERN Nov. 1, 1938.

KNIT'TING 'MACHINE 195'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4,

A ATTORNEY.'

N0v.1,193s. FqjKl-QN l V2,135,083

KNITTING vMAGHNE Filed Dec. 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 AV INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ice KNITTIN G Frank J. Kern, Brooklyn, N'. Y'. Application December 4, 1937, Serial No. 178,011

14 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines of the simple links and links type for the knitting of ordinary purl fabric. v

Machines of this type employ two beds between which a set of needles reciprocates crosswise under the operation of cam actuated jacks which alternateiy engage and release the opposite end hooks of each needle.- For this purpose the jacks have recesses or coupling hooks for engaging the il) needle hooks accompanied by an upward tilting of each jack when its coupling hook rides over the needle hook both on engaging and releasing actions. This tilting action requires a clearance space in the guide means which otherwise presses down on a jack while it is in motion to prevent accidental or premature release of the needle by the coupling hook.

Heretofore machines of this type have been provided with a recess in the press-ure guide means to permit the upward tilting of the jacks. This operated satisfactorily providing the jacks returned to a given setting for a course of the machine. But if the position of a jack was changed after one needle engaging run, it was impossible to make the second or final needle releasing run of the course, because said recess would not afford clearance for the changed jack which would then be in engaging relation to its needle at a different point of the second run. 30 Hence a slidable pressure guide or rail was used having a recess traveling between the different jack tilting points, and serving to hold down the jacks intermediate of such points. This resulted in a much more complicated and expensive machine, and one which would readily get out of order, or cause a breakage of the needle hooks upon a slight variation in the position of slidable rail.

More specically stated, when the needles are accidentally scattered in both beds of the machine, the invention aims to cause the needles to return to normal in one or the other of the beds, depending upon the direction of movement of the cam head. This movement from the abnormal scattered condition is permitted by the additional recess for the jacks, without which breakage of the needles would occur under the condi-- tions mentioned. The invention has nothing to do with a cross transfer of needles, as this term 50 is used in the art, and such cross transfer with needles simultaneously moving in opposite directions from one bed tothe other, requires-a machine different from the simple type with which we are here concerned. Nor is this invention intended for the knitting of any new fabrics or patterns.

My invention has for its objects to overcome all of the defects and drawbacks above noted, without losing any of the advantages that might have been attained heretofore, and to dorso,

nevertheless, without the addition or any moving parts and according to the improved methods noted.

More specifically, the invention provides in addition to the normal jack receiving and releasing guide recess, a jack receiving guide or safety recess, with an especial advantage that it serves to avoid breakage of needle hooks on engagement thereof by the jacks, and the second mentioned recess being in rigid relation tothe rst, so that both of these recesses are fixed to travel as a unit with the jack actuating cam means.

Another object` of the invention is to provide a pressure guide for a jack, wherein the guide is formed with improved means such as a nose portion for exerting downward pressure on the tip of the jackA so as to overcome any possible upward tilt thereof due to clearance space, wear, or the like, when the jack is in engagement with a needle in normal operation.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a pressure guide for a jack, said guide havinga jack receiving `recess portion, and a jack pressing guideportioncombined in an improved manner with each other and with jack actuating mechanism so that the jack cooperates at different times with said different portlons'according as the operation ofthe jack is normal or abnormal. AnotherV objectV of the invention is to provide a knitting machine that shall combine in an improved manner the diiierent features mentioned.

A further object 4of the invention is the provision' of an improved knitting machine having relatively few and simple parts, and which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, compact, durable, reliable and eicient to a high degree in use.

Other 'objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds. Y

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangementsV of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoihed'olaims, and illustrated in the annexed drawingspwherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

Infthe drawings:

Figure 1 isa sectionalview illustrating a knitting machine to which the invention relates, with certain parts omitted and showing a needle in casting-off position to form a stitch.

vFig. 2 is a similar sectional view of the machine embodying the invention, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 6, and showing jacks tilted and about to tilt to respectively engage and release the hooks of a needle, at the left; and right respectively,

according to an abnormal operation of the machine.v A v.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing right and left jacks engaged with the needle hooks, with the right jack tilted for releasing the needle and the left jack held downward by its guide, according to a normal operation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the jacks tilted and about to tilt for engaging and releasing at the right and left, respectively, according to an abnormal operation of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a similar View of the machine, showing the left jack downwardly held by-itsv guide in needle engaging position, and the right jack tilted for releasing the needle,'aecordingk to a normal operation of the machine, just preliminary to that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine showing the parts in an operative position corresponding to that of Fig. 2.

, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the actuator cam and guide for a jack, with the latter in position in the safety recess for tilting to engage a needle, according to an abnormal operation.

Fig. 8 is a similar view, but with the `actuator cam in the same position but traveling in opposite direction from that of Fig. 'I and showing the jack held down by its guide inv needle engaging position, according to a normal operation.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. '7.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, are submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplication of the invention.U

Referring in detailV to thedrawings, I8 denotes a links and links knitting machine embodying the invention, and including a plurality of bed plates II, I2, which are transversely grooved as at I3 to receive the sliding jacks I4. The adjacent edges of the bedplates I I, |21 have parallel spaced edges to define a narrow space I5 through which the knitted fabric passes downward as produced, and adjacent to the space I5, the ridges formed by the grooves I3 providing upward projecting yarn holding portions I6. The latter co-operatev with the opposite end hooks I'I of the needles I8, with which hooks coact the pivoted latches I9 that are openable by any well known means which need not be disclosed herein. For moving a needle in one or an opposite direction, the jacks I4 are provided with end coupling hooks 20 engageable with and releasableV from the needle hooks Il by a wiping or cam engagement of the hooks II and 20, accompanied preferably by a slight upward tilting of the jacks at their coupling ends. The fixed plates 2| serve toretain the jacks in their respective groovesI3, and afford a clearance with the jacks when the latter are suitably projected, Ato permit said tilting to occur. For causing reciprocation of the jacks I4, the latter vhave follower portions 22 which are engaged in the cam grooves of cam plates 23, 24 'for the respective bed plates II, I2, these cam. plates being secured together as at 25 or inA any other suitable manner to travel as a unit along any desired fixed parallel guide rails 26. Suitable pressure guides 21, 28 are fixedlymounted on the cam plates 23, 24, respectively,r each guide having a single recess '29 to afford clearance for tilting motion of the jacks. As thus far described, the construction of the knitting machine is conventional.

The operation of the knitting machine will now bey briefly described, soV that my improvements which will be later referred to, may be more clearly understood. Reciprocation of the cam plates 23, 24 causes transverse reciprocation vof the jacks I4 and consequent reciprocation of the needles I8. Each needle enters a loop of yarn, which-passes over a latch I9 and is held thereby when the latch is in full open position, the hook of the needle receiving a strand of yarn. On occurrence of further movement, the loop of yarn is tensioningly movedrto close the latchl so as to slip off the needle. This is generally referred to as castingoff, The engagement and release of the needlesby the jacks, with which we are, here primarily concerned, occurred by reason of the tilting of the jacks at the single groove 29 of each pressure guide.' This necessitated that the needles have a given relationship to the jacks: if the needles were accidentally scattered, so that some were on the bed plate II and others on the bed plate I2, certain needles would move toward engagement with their jacks at a point other than the recess 29, and the hooks of such needles would be broken. Or at times, if the racking of the needles was not accurate, the same result would occur. The same result would also occur if the jacks were scattered in one of the beds, which by reason of certain constructions, not shown, cannot be operated on the return run unless all the jacks are in alinement on both runs. These results often caused an excessive and costly expenditure of money for needles. My invention, for overcoming these difficulties, will now be described.

. According to one feature of the invention, I provide a second relatively fixed safety recess 38 in each pressure guide 21, 28 in spaced parallel relation to the recess 29. The safety recess 30 affords a clearance for upward tilting of the jacks so that the adjacent needle hook I'I can be received in the jack coupling hook 20, when thel needles are scattered throughinadvertence. For this purposethe pressure guide 21, 28 is provided with a pressure face 3l between the recesses 29, 30 and which serves to hold down a jack to prevent upward tilting thereof and accidental release of the needle. Beyond the recesses 29, 38, the pressure guide is formed with pressure sur-v faces 32 for the same purpose.

As a second feature of the invention, I provide an extension 33 on the pressure guide 21, 28 to afford a greater bearing area on the jacks I4 to prevent any possible yield at the end of the jack with consequent accidental release of the needle.

I have found that such release sometimes occurs, especially as the machine operates at high speed. By means of the extension, the bearing areas are increased at 3l and also at 32 immediately adjacent to the recesses 29, where the jacks are rapidly swung with an impact from tilted to hori zontal position. It may be noted that I form the recesses 29, 3U of arcuate form in transverse cross section, so that they actually constitute cams to cause the jacks to leave the recesses and to return to horizontal with a diminished impact.

As a third feature of the invention, I provide a closed end pressure face portion 34 for the second or safety recess 30', and form the latter of notch shape in plan view as shown at 35I in Figs. 7 and 8.j The purpose of this construction is to provide xed means whereby the jack is held down in engagementl with a needle, when the pressure portion 34, including that parti of the bearing face 32 at the V-shape notch 35, rides over the jack. This feature of the invention comes into operation when the jack has engaged the needle at the first groove 29, and release of the needle is not desired because the needle. is beingreleased at its opposite end by the companion jack. In that event release ofthe needle occurs upon the next run of the machine.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of improved means for causing a jack to occupy different positions, so as to register at its end withthe receiving recess 39, and at other times to extend therebeyond and underlie Vthe pressure area at 34. My invention advantageously employs relatively xed means for the accomplishment of this purpose. As another advantage of the invention, said means may be part of the jack actuator cam, and involve noexpensive structural change therein. Accordingly detailed considerationY will now be given to these cams.

The cam groovesof both cam plates 23, 24 are generally alike, and may be so regarded for present purposes. Thus each cam groove, as shown in Fig. 5, may include a jack advancing groove 36, at which a jack is fully engaged with a needle hook. From the groove 36, lead the angular grooves 31, 38 at which a jack is being advanced or retracted, as the case may be, in course of respective engagement and release of a needle. Along the dwells 39, the jacks are held in readi` ness for the advance for releasing or engagement. From the dwells 39, the grooves lead to the dwells 40 at which yarn is laid on the needles; and thence to the angular grooves 4l which may be termed the stitch cams, at which the needle latches are closed; and finally to the end groove portions 42 at which the casting olf is completed and at which the jacks-enter and leave the cam grooves. Y

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, it will be seen that the angular groove portion 33 is of greater width than the adjacent groove portions, so that while the jack follower 22 is snuglyheld in the latter, it has freedom of longitudinal motion in the former. More specifically, the follower 22 will naturally move in contact with the remote face 43 of the groove 38 when the cam plate moves in the direction of the arrow 44. Hence the jack is in relatively retracted position so thatits end portion can be received in the safety recess 33 to permit the jack I4 to tilt upwardto engage thev needle. When the cam plate 23 moves in opposite direction denoted by the arrow '45 the jack follower naturally moves along the forward face or edge 46 of the cam groove 38 so. that the jack is in relatively advanced position, wherebyrthe portion 34 bears downward thereon to prevent accidental release of the needle i8. In each case the inertia of the jack tends to maintain it against any other movement,-the groove 39 causing the rear position of the jack in Fig. 7 and the groove 36 causing the forward position of the jack in Fig. 8.

The invention also includes the combination of the several features in one unitary structure, free of relatively moving parts other thanwthose inherent in the machine. 4

I will nowy briefly describe the operation of my invention, with especial reference to Figs. Zand 4, assuming the needles are scattered, with the cam plates 23, 24 being considered as moving in a downward direction. In Fig. 2, the left jack I4 is upwardly tilted, and is received in the recess 30, according to the abnormal operation of the machine, whereas the right jack is received in the safety orclearance recess 29 of the guide 28, and is merely pushingthe needle leftward. Accordingly breakage of the left hook of the needle is avoided, because the jack is free to tilt in the safety recess 3D; but since theright jack is retracted first, the needle is retained by the right jack and releases the left jack, so that all the needles will lie in the right bed. In Fig. 3 is shown anormal operation wherein a left jack, engaged with a needle in the left bed, is being downwardly held in positive engagement with the needle hook, by the bearing portion 3l of the guide 21, the right jack being upwardly tilted in the recess 29, as the needle is being thereafter rightwardly pulled by the right jack, to cause a normal transfer `of the needle to the right bed, with the left jack'releasing the needle in recess 29. In Fig. 4, withrthe cam' head traveling upward, the manner of the abnormal operation is directly opposite to that shown in Fig. 2. The showing in Fig. 5 is intended to illustrate a step in the normal operation of the machine just preliminary to that of Fig.y 3, Yand according to Fig. 8, with the left jack held down by the part 34, the cam head traveling upward. If the cam head is moving downward, in normal operation, a directly similar opposite action will occur,` as will be apparent. It will be noted that the recess 29'is relatively wide, and the safety recess 39 is relatively narrow to facilitate these purposes, although that is not essential. It will be further perceivedvthat the cam plates 23, 24 have their respective cam grooves and guide members 21, 28 offset as shown in Fig. 6, with the recess 29 of one being in alinement with the recess 33 of the other. Y

I claim:

l. A knitting machine of the links and links type having a plurality of setsv of reciprocatory tiltable jacks for releasably engaging with the opposite end hooks of a set of needles for a single transfer of the latter upon a course of the may chine, and pressure guide means for each set of jacks reciprocable crosswise of the jacks for downwardly bearing thereon to prevent tilting release of the needles by the iacks,'each guide means having a plurality of relatively fixed parallel recesses in the bearing surface thereof, one of said recesses of each guide means being adapted to upwardly receive a jack to permit tilting thereof for the reception of a needle hook in the coupling hook of the jack, and the other recess of each guide means permitting upward tilting of a jack for'engagement and release ofthe needle hook and the Vcoupling hook of the jack upon different runs of the machine, the portion of the bearing Vsurface of the guidemeans intermediate of said recesses serving to press down on an adjacent jack to prevent release of a needle during the travel of the guide means.

`2. A knitting machine of the links and links type including a plurality of v,parallel sets of alined reciprocatory tiltable jacks engageable and disengageable with the opposite end hooks of a set of reciprocatory needles for a single transfer of the latter upon a course of the machine, cam meansreciprocable .along said rows of jacks for actuating the latter for reciprocation, and pressure guide means movable with the cam means in fixed relation thereto, each` ofsaid guide means having a plurality of downward facing parallel. recesses in the bearing face thereof with the latter, including the part thereofV intermediate of.

the recesses, being adapted toV downwardly hold the jacks to prevent tilting thereof,.the jacks being tiltable in the recesses for engagement and release of the needles, andthe spacing between said recesses being in accordance with the cams so that a needle may be engaged in one recess and released in the other recess.

3. A device including a pair of opposite cooperating pressure guides Vfor the tiltable jacks of a links and links knitting machine, each of said guides having a downward facing bearing surface having a pair of spaced parallel recesses cut therein, said bearing surface being otherwise plane throughout.

4. A device including a plurality of elongated pressure guides for a links and links knitting machine, each guide having a plane bearing surface interrupted by a plurality of parallel transverse recesses, said recesses providing inclined portions therealong constituting cam faces for moving jacks out of the recesses.

. V5. A pressure guide for a links and links knitting machine, comprising an elongated member adapted to be rigidly secured for movement with the jack actuator cam of the machine, said member having a transverse recess for permitting tilting movement of a jack and having a bearing surface on opposite sides of the recesses to hold the jack in non-tilting relation, said member having a lateral projection aifording an extension of said bearing surface at the sides of the recess to increase the bearing area on the jack and prevent accidental release of a needle by a jack.

6. A device including a pressure guide for a links and links knitting machine elongated for longitudinal travel over a row of jacks, said guide having a downward facing bearing surface for the jacks and a pair of spaced parallel transverse recesses in said surface for upward tilting of the jacks, said guide having a lateral extension affording a substantial increased bearing surface area immediately adjacent to said recesses and between the latter.

7. A knitting machine of Ythe links and links type including rows of reciprocable jacks for engagement and release of double-hooked needles for a single transfer thereof upon a course of the machine, and means for controlling the reciprocation and tilting of the jacks movable as a rigid unit, said means comprising cam means for reciprocating the jacks, and downward acting pressure guide members vfor the different rows of jacks having bearing surfaces to prevent upward tilting of the jacks, and each having spaced parallel recesses in the bearing surface of each member for upward tilting of the jacks therein, the

spacing between the recesses. being relatively small as required by the cam means for needle engaging jack action in one recess and for needle releasing jack action in the next recess, each of said recesses havinglongitudinal inclined portions for camming engagement with the jacks to cause the same to move out of the recesses onto the bearing surface, and said guide members having lateral extensions affording substantial increases in the bearing'area of the bearing surfaces and of said inclined longitudinal portions.

8. A knitting machine-of` the links and links type comprising reciprocable tiltable jacks for engaging and releasing needle hooks for a single transfer thereof `upon a course of the machine, a downward acting pressure vguide for the jacks having a safety recess in the bearing. surface thereof to permit upward tilting of a jack, lsaid guide having a .pressure portion at an end of said recess to prevent the jack from tilting into the recess and releasing the needle hook when the jack is'fo'rwardlyrprojected under said pressure portion, andcam means for causing reciprocation of the jacks.

9. A knitting machine according to claim 8 wherein said cam means is adapted to travel in a path and includes cam grooves parallel to said path and another cam groove at an angle to saidY path, the latter cam groove being of greater width than the parallel cam grooves and controlling a jack at said recess so that the jack engages one or an opposite face of the said angular cam groove according as said cam means is traveling in one or an opposite direction, to cause a corresponding variance in the position of the jack with the latter being in corresponding tiltable -or nontiltable position as aforesaid. Y

10. A knitting machine of the links and lin type having rows of reciprocable tiltable hooked jacks for a single transfer of needles upon a course of the machine, cam means for reciprocating the jacks and downward acting bearing guide members traveling with the cam 'means and serving to prevent upward tilting of adjacent jacks, each of said guide members having a safety recess to permit upward tilting of adjacent jacks, each of said guide members having a downward bearing portion for the jacks intersecting the recess at an acute angle at an inner end thereof, the cam means traveling .along said rows and including cam portions parallel to said rows and connecting cam portions therebetween at an angle to said rows, the angular cam portions being of different transverse dimension than the parallel cam portions and coacting with the jacks to permit a jack at the angular cam portion to terminate at said recess so as to tilt thereinto or to project beyond said recess so as to engage said bearing portion of a guide member according as the cam means is traveling in one or an opposite direction, and the parallel cam portions relatively snugly engaging the jacks for a predetermined position thereof regardless of the ydirection ofA travel of said cam means.

11. A knitting machine according to claim 10, wherein each guide member includes a second recess parallel to the first mentioned recess for permitting tilting releasing action of a jack in the normal operation of the machine.

12. A knitting machine according to claim 10,

wherein each guide member is provided with a lateral projection which affords an extension of said recess and constitutes said pressure portion at the end of said recess.

13. A knitting machine according to claim 10, wherein said recess is formed with a longitudinal angular cam formingside to cause a jack to move out of the recess and onto the bearing surface of the guide member.

14. A knitting machine according to claim 10, wherein each guide member is provided with a second recess parallel to the first mentioned recess and so related thereto that the angular pressure portion and the second recess are on opposite sides of the first mentioned recess, and each guide memberY having a lateral projection forming an extension of said recesses and of the bearing area of the guide members and affording the said angular pressure portion.

FRANK J. KERN. 

